On September 29th, The Egg Farmers of Ontario (EFO) and Food Day Canada partnered to hold the first public Food Day Canada Chefs’ Forum “The Future of Canadian Food: Opportunities and Challenges” in concert with the University of Guelph’s Good Food Innovation Awards that showcased some of Canada’s most celebrated Chefs and Restaurateurs. Local chefs, students and media attended in addition to numerous members of the EFO Board.
On the podium were Sinclair and Frederique Philip of Sooke Harbour House, Vancouver Island, B.C.; Chef/Sommelier Mark Filatow of Waterfront Wine, Kelowna; Executive Chef Roary MacPherson of Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, St. John’s; Chef/Owners Charles Part and Jennifer Warren-Part, Les Fougères, Chelsea, Québec and Executive Chef Pierre-Olivier Ferry of Les Jardins de Métis, Grand-Métis, Québec.
The conversation began with an historical retrospective of where each chef has lived and worked….their bios are actually quite phenomenal.
Then we looked to the future and attempted to begin to identify some of the issues that they see as critical to the development of a real Canadian cuisine in every region of Canada, whether it was a lack of support from local tourism agencies or rules around local food procurement. But surprisingly, the consensus developed around the fact that it is easier for Canadians to buy from abroad than from one another.
It is with this in mind that Food Day Canada, with the advice of the School of Business & Economics at the University of Guelph, is developing a draft policy around Free Trade within Canada.
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About the partners:
Egg Farmers of Ontario is the marketing organization for the 430 egg farmers and pullet growers in Ontario who account for 40% of total egg production in Canada, or 200 million dozen eggs annually.
Food Day Canada is the largest culinary celebration in Canada and involves thousands of Canadians virtually on a dynamic social media programme and through the advocacy of over 250 restaurants which are invited to participate on the basis of their commitment to local food and to the farming community that supports it.
The University of Guelph, the College of Business and Economics and the Ontario Agricultural College created the Good Food Innovation Award to honour food professionals from across the country who strive to provide innovative menu solutions based on Canadian ingredients.
